The importance of using both Android Advertising ID and Persistent/Device ID

Today, August 1, 2014, Google switched over to their new Android Advertising ID. The new Android Advertising ID is a user-specific, unique and resettable ID that is used for advertising purposes. It is an anonymous identifier that gives users better controls over their experience, and provides developers with a simple, standard system to continue to monetize apps. It is similar to the approach of Apple’s Identifier For Advertising (IDFA).

While many companies, including Tapjoy, have moved away from using only Persistent IDs (such as IMEI and MAC address)for advertising purposes, we still believe that there is a significant and valuable use for these IDs in the ecosystem.

There continue to be several benefits to using a Persistent IDs particularly for those apps that feature a virtual currency. For such apps, use of a Persistent ID is critical to maintain the continuity of that currency, even if the user choses to reset their Android Advertising ID. If an app developer were to choose not to utilize a Persistent ID for this management, a user who resets their advertising ID would lose their currency balance and history.

At Tapjoy, we offer a diverse set of services for advertisers and publishers – ranging from advertising attribution to virtual currency management. For each of these services, Tapjoy focuses on ensuring solutions that offer the best customer experience while conforming to the relevant Terms of Service for each service provider. Utilizing both the resettable Android Advertising ID and the Persistent IDs, gives the consumer the best balance of privacy and user experience.

Within our SDK and integration process, we clearly denote where, how, and why the Tapjoy server calls for the Android AID as well as Persistent IDs. Within our infrastructure, Tapjoy ensures our partners fully comply with the Google Terms of Service by never associating Advertising IDs with Persistent IDs.

If you are an Android developer who is not using Tapjoy for managing your currency, we require that you only use Advertising ID, and provide a simple method to ensure that Persistent IDs are not transmitted. Click here to find out more.

At Tapjoy, we strive to make sure we are delivering the best options and consumer experience for how your users engage with advertising. If you aren’t currently working with Tapjoy but you would like to include us in your next app update, click here to get started – it only takes a few seconds.